CAMBRIDGE, Md. – To succeed in November’s midterm elections, Democrats need to push aggressively on an agenda that the American public already embraces, Vice President Joe Biden told rank-and-file lawmakers Friday.

Speaking at House Democrats’ annual retreat on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Mr. Biden struck an optimistic tone, making an occasional joke at the expense of Republicans while he talked up Democrats’ election chances.

“Keep your eye on the ball. The American people are where we are and let’s go out and make every single effort not just to defend but to aggressively push, aggressively push, our agenda,” Mr. Biden told a couple hundred Democratic lawmakers, staff and family members.

Polling shows that voters roundly agree with Democrats on issues such as raising the minimum wage, overhauling immigration and boosting infrastructure spending, Mr. Biden said, echoing a theme Democratic leaders have stressed to members here over the last several days. Voters even oppose repealing the federal healthcare law, which has been a source of political angst for Democrats, Mr. Biden noted.

“I can’t think of a time when the issues that most effect the American people, most effect the middle class, overwhelmingly -overwhelmingly — they support us,” he said.

Democrats face an uphill battle to retake the House in November’s elections, and many party leaders are increasingly focused on making sure the party retains control of the Senate. Mr. Biden, however, said that there are “three political lifetimes” between now and the midterms, urging the House Democrats to stress issues voters care about.

“Let’s get a little focused. Instead of focusing on a few things we do have problems with, focus on all that we have going for us going into this election,” Mr. Biden said.

Mr. Biden also took a shot at Republican leadership, suggesting there was no unity in the GOP and cracking a joke about the multiple Republican responses to this year’s State of the Union address.

“I wish there was a Republican Party. I wish there was one person you could sit across the table from, make a deal, make a compromise and know when you got up from that table it was done,” he said.

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